Electric clock mounting and contact apparatus

ABSTRACT

An electric clock mounting and contact apparatus including an electric clock housing, an electric drive circuit positioned within the housing, pillar means extending between the housing and the electric drive circuit for supporting said electric drive circuit, the pillar means being electrically conductive and in electrical contact with the electric drive circuit, an electrical contact means connected exteriorly of the electrical clock housing and to the pillar means, said electrical contact means being operable for electrical contact with a voltage source exterior of the electric clock housing.

United States Patent 91 Wolber et al.

[ 1 Jan. 23, 1973 [54] ELECTRIC CLOCK MOUNTING AND 3,418,802 12/1968Little et al. ..58/55 CONTACT APPARATUS 3,635,011 1/1972 Pindell, Jr. etal. ..58/145 R [75] Inventors: Robert Wolber, 7233 Lauterbach; PrimaryExaminer Richard B Wilkinson Fnednch Assmus 723 Schramberg AssistantExaminer-Edith C. Simmons Jackmon both of Germany Attorney-James E.Cockfield [73] Assignee: Firma Gebruder Inghams Gmbll,

Schramberg, Germany [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Nov. 1, 1971 An electricclock mounting and contact apparatus in- A l No v 194 726 cluding anelectric clock housing, an electric drive circuit positioned within thehousing, pillar means extending between the housing and the electricdrive cir- Foreign Application Priority Data cuit for supporting saidelectric drive circuit, the pillar Nov. 6 1970 Germany ..P 20 54 757.3means being electrically conductive and elecmcal contact with theelectric drive circuit, an electrical [52] [1.8. CI. ..58/23 R, 58/52Contact means connected exteriorly of the electrical 51 lm. CI. ..G04c3/00 Clock housing and to the Pillar means, Said electrical 5 Field fSearch 58/23 R, 41 R, 4 41 3 contact means being operable for electricalcontact 5g 53 5 with a voltage source exterior of the electric clockhousing. [56] References cued 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,912,368 6/1933 Holinger ..58/41 B ELECTRIC CLOCK MOUNTING ANDCONTACT APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION electrically conductivepath from the works to exterior l0 plug contacts disposed on the housingfor connection with a source of voltage.

In the case of known automobile clocks, flat or round plugs connectedwith the poles of the battery via suitable bushings are provided on thebackside of the case for the mechanism. In the case of mostconstructions, the plug connected with the negative pole of the batteryis welded onto the case of the mechanism, while the plug connected withthe positive pole of the battery is disposed on an element of insulatingsubstance attached to a clock mechanism and projects through an openingof the clock casing provided with an insulating plug.

Automobile clocks also have been known where the case for the mechanismis not used as a connection with the mass. In that case both connectingplugs are disposed on a plate of insulating material attached to a watchmechanism and they project from the casing of the mechanism throughappropriate insulations of said casing. At the same time, the case ofthe mechanism itself has been attached by additional means to the clockmechanism, for example on the base plate.

The known embodiments require considerable expenditure for bringing outthe plug contacts, for their attachment and for the additionalattachment of the plate made of insulating material receiving theelectricaldriving circuits, as well as of the case of the clockmechanism.

At least one object of the present invention is the production of anelectric clock of the initially mentioned'type where the current supplyconnection for the electric driving circuit is accomplished in aparticularly simple manner with little expenditure.

According to the subject invention this and other objects will beachieved 'by the provision of plug contacts in electrically conductivecontact with pillars of the clock mechanism which may be connectedelectrically with the electrical driving circuit for the clock. Further,at least one of the pillars of the clock mechanism is disposedelectrically insulated with respect to the clock mechanism.

The pillars feeding in the current, which are connected with the plugcontacts, can be developed preferably as attaching elements of acarrying part for the mechanism case and for the plug contacts, saidpart containing the driving circuit. The carrying element for theelectrical driving circuit can be a plate made of insulating material,connected with printed circuits and also receiving the electronicconstruction elements.

The plug contacts may be provided with projections or recesses which areengaged with suitable recesses or projections of the mechanism case ofof a part connected with said case, whereby at least one of theserecesses or one of these projections is insulated with regard to thecase of the mechanism.

Through the development according to the invention a very simpleattachment of various parts can be achieved, whereby this attachment atthe same time is used as the current supply. At the sametime, variousoperational steps, which heretofore were required for attachment of theplug contact, have become superfluous.

The invention may be explained in more detail in the followingparagraphs on the basis of the drawings.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of an electric clock mechanismaccording to the invention and particularly discloses a pair of spacedelectrical contact plugs suitable for connection with an exteriorvoltage source;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along section line lllI of FIG. 1 andparticularly discloses the connection of pillars between an electricclock housing and an electric drive circuit positioned within theinterior of the housing;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view partially broken away to disclose a platereceiving an electrical drive circuit;

FIG. 4 discloses a sectional view taken along section line lV-IV in FIG.1; and

FIG. 5 discloses a sectional view taken along section line V-V in FIG.1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings and more particularlyto FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the reference number 10 indicates a clockmechanism, which is held together by means ofpillars 12, 13 and 14 ofthe frame and with the help of nuts 15, 16 and 17, and is attached to abase plate 11. Nuts 15 and 17 serve at the same time as spacers, onwhich a plate 18 made of insulating material and carrying the printedcircuits and electrical switching elements 20 for the driving circuithas been attached with the help of pillars 21 and 22. This conductorplate also carries for example a coil 19. Pillars 21 and 22 have threadlugs 21a and 22a, which are screwed into the distancing nuts 15 and 17.Distancing nut 15 consists of electrically non-conductive material.

The printed circuits, for example 29 and 30 in FIG. 3, are arranged forpractical purposes on the right side of plate 18 in FIG. 2, and printedcircuits 29 and 30 (FIG. 3) have been provided running around theattaching holes in plate 18 and, of course, in such a way that shoulders21c and 22c provided on pillars 21 and 22 will fit against these printedcircuits 29 and 30, and thus establish an electric contact.

Pillars 21 and 22 furthermore are provided with thread lugs 21b and 22b,on which attaching nuts 23 and 24 can be screwed on. These nuts 23 and24 serve for attachment of the clock housing 27 and at the same time forattachment of the contact plugs 25 and 26, of

I which plug 26 fits directly, that is to say electrically conductivelyagainst housing 27, while between housing 27 and plug 25 a part 28 madeofinsulating material has been inserted, which, for practical purposes,also will engage with the appropriate perforation of housing 27 examplecan be pressed out of case 27, as can be seen in FIG. 5. Plug 26 hasbeen provided with an appropriate recess 26a, which receives projection27a. A suitable arrangement also has been provided in the case of plug25, which likewise has been provided with a recess 25a, which receives aprojection 28a of part 28 made of insulating material. In this mannerboth plugs 25 and 26 are secured on case 27 to prevent twisting. In

order to prevent twisting of part 28, made of insulating material, incase 27, said part has been provided with an additional projection 28bwhich engages with a perforation of case 27.

The development according to the invention makes it possible to attachthe mechanism case and at the same time and simultaneously to use theattaching elements for the case as a current supply for the electricaldriving circuit, whereby these attaching elements additionally will holdthe current supply plugs. The clock according to the invention thereforecan be produced with a particularly small cost.

Although the invention is described with reference to a preferredembodiment, it will be appreciated by those 2. An electric clockmounting and contact apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein saidelectric drive circuit includes:

a plate composed of insulating material operable to support printedcircuits in electrical'contact with a said pillar means and to supportelectronic drive circuit elements.

3. An electric clock mounting and contact apparatus as defined in claim1 wherein said pillar means comprises:

a pair of spaced electrically conductive pillars,

at least one of said pair of pillars being electrically insulated fromsaid electric clock housing.

4. An electric clock mounting and contact apparatus as defined in claim3 wherein said contact means comprises:

a pair of plug contacts, one electrically connected to each of saidelectrically conductive pillars, said plugs having recesses suitable fornon-rotatable engagement with projections extending from said electricclock housing, and at least one of said plug contacts being electricallyinsulated from said electric clock housing.

UNlTED STATES PATENT ()FFECE T CETEFEQATE @FQQRREQTiO-N I Patent No. 3,712, 044 Dated January 23, 1973 Inventor(s) Robert Wolber and FriedrichAssmus It is certified that err or appears in the above-identifiedpatent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

' On page 1, following Assignee: Gebrude r delete "Inghams" and'insertJqnghans- Signed ahd sealed this 10th day of July 1973.

(SEAL) Attestz.

EDWARD M. FLETCHERJR.

Rene Tegtmeyer Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents RMPO-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 u.s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING omcs: mm 0-fifififi u TED STATES PATENT OFFiCE. j TEIATE @F REQ'NQN Patent No. 3,712, 044: Dated January '23, 1973 Inventor(s) Robert Wo1ber andFriedrich Assrnus It is certified that error appears in the aboveidentified patent and that .said Letters Patent are hereby corrected asshown below:

On page 1, fol lowing "Assignee: C-(elorudler delete Tngldarns" Iandinsert JLinghans- Signed arid sealed this'lOth day of July l97 3.- V

(SEAL) Attestz.

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. Rene Tegtmeyer v a Attesting Officer ActingCommissioner of Patents )RM PO-1050(10-69) SCOMM-DC 6O376-P69 urs.GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1069 o--'-\ aaaa u

1. An electric clock mounting and contact apparatus comprising: anelectric clock housing; an electric drive circuit positioned within saidhousing; pillar means extending between said housing and said electricdrive circuit for supporting said electric drive circuit, said pillarmeans further being electrically conductive and in electrical contactwith said electric drive circuit; and electrical contact means connectedexteriorly of said electrical clock housing to said pillar means andbeing operable for electrical contact with a voltage source exterior ofsaid electric clock housing.
 2. An electric clock mounting and contactapparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said electric drive circuitincludes: a plate composed of insulating material operable to supportprinted circuits in electrical contact with said pillar means and tosupport electronic drive circuit elements.
 3. An electric clock mountingand contact apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said pillar meanscomprises: a pair of spaced electrically conductive pillars, at leastone of said pair of pillars being electrically insulated from saidelectric clock housing.
 4. An electric clock mounting and contactapparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said contact means comprises: apair of plug contacts, one electrically connected to each of saidelectrically conductive pillars, said plugs having recesses suitable fornon-rotatable engagement with projections extending from said electricclock housing, and at least one of said plug contacts being electricallyinsulated from said electric clock housing.